Measured retractor

Abstract

A retractor comprising a first blade and a second blade, the first blade and second blade having a first blade tip and second blade tip, respectively. The first blade and second blade attach at a pivot point for allowing the first blade tip and second blade tip to move toward and away from each other to create an opening having an opening magnitude. The second blade has a ruler extension having ruler indicia, and the first blade has an arrow end opposite the first blade tip. The arrow end refers to the ruler indicia to indicate the opening magnitude of the retractor. The second blade has a handle track. A handgrip is attached to a bar which is slidably mounted in the handle track. The ruler indicia on the second blade also extends along the handle track.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A retractor, having a proximal end and a distal end, comprising: a first blade having a first blade tip, and an arrow end opposite the first blade tip;   a second blade having a second blade tip, the second blade attached to the first blade at a pivot point for allowing the first blade tip and second blade tip to move toward and away from each other to create an opening having an opening magnitude, the second blade having a ruler extension, the ruler extension having ruler indicia, and said arrow end refers to the ruler indicia on the ruler extension to indicate the magnitude of opening between the first blade tip and second blade tip;   a handle assembly, the handle assembly comprising a hand grip extending parallel to the second blade, and a bar extending between the hand grip and second blade, said bar extending perpendicular to both the hand grip and the second blade.   
     
     
       2. The retractor as recited in claim 1, wherein the second blade further comprises a handle track, the bar capable of sliding proximal and distally in the handle track. 
     
     
       3. The retractor as recited in claim 2, wherein the first blade further comprises a first blade upper and first blade lower, the second blade having a pivot extension, the pivot point is a pin that extends through the first blade upper, through the pivot extension, and then through the first blade lower. 
     
     
       4. The retractor as recited in claim 3, wherein the first blade further comprises a control finger, the control finger selectively engaging the ruler extension for locking the position of the retractor wherein the opening magnitude is fixed. 
     
     
       5. The retractor as recited in claim 4, wherein the control finger has a spring, the spring biasing the control finger against the ruler extension to maintain the control finger in a normally locked position. 
     
     
       6. The retractor as recited in claim 5, wherein the control finger has a toothed edge and the ruler extension has a mating teeth edge, the toothed edge engages the mated teeth edge to lock the control finger. 
     
     
       7. The retractor as recited in claim 6, wherein the toothed edge has teeth, said teeth angled in the direction of the pivot point so that the retractor can be opened without disengaging the toothed edge from the mated teeth edge but the retractor will not close unless the toothed edge is disengaged from the mated teeth edge. 
     
     
       8. The retractor as recited in claim 7 wherein ruler indicia is also present along the second blade, said ruler indicia extending proximal to distally to allow measurement of insertion depth into a body cavity. 
     
     
       9. The retractor as recited in claim 8, wherein the ruler indicia on the second blade extends along the handle track.